Common Sense: Debating the debate
The Dyker Heights Civic Association has been around since 1928 and is one of Brooklyn’s oldest, continuously serving civic organizations. It is a charter member of the Bay Ridge Community Council and has an impressive list of countless accomplishments. It played a pivotal role in creating the local zoning plan, successfully fought the Mega-Mall and the closing of the 13th Avenue Post Office, participates in all sorts of charitable works, volunteers in community clean-ups and acts as a monthly forum on community issues.
And for the past 40 years, it has run a candidates’ debate that has enjoyed the participation of Democrats and Republicans alike. That was until this year when Congressional candidate Domenic Recchia not only ducked the debate, but issued an insulting denouncement of the group as the reasoning behind his failure to participate.
In reality, Recchia was at a pizza fundraiser on Staten Island. Other Democrats including candidates in the 49thand 46th Assembly Districts and 22nd Senatorial District showed respect for the organization and the Dyker Heights community by participating. Democratic Councilmember Vincent Gentile was in the audience.